If we aren't loving, are we living?
by CreativeWritingGirl
Summary: (Old and no longer active) Begins at the Mark of Athena. Percy and Annabeth are reunited at last, but all is not well. Months of separation strained to two to the point where they don't even know each other. The line between love and hate is blurred as they struggle to find peace.
1. Chapter 1

_Then someone else appeared from the crowd, and Annabeth's vision tunneled. _

_Percy smiled at her-that sarcastic, troublemaker smile that has annoyed her for years but eventually had become endearing. His sea-green eyes were as gorgeous as she remembered. His dark hair was swept to one side, like he'd just come back from a walk on the beach. He looked even better than he had six months ago-tanner and taller, leaner and more muscular. _

_Annabeth was too stunned to move. She felt that if she got any closer to him, all he molecules in her body might combust. She'd secretly had a crush on him since they were twelve years old. Last summer, she's fallen for him hard. They'd been a happy couple for four months-and then he'd disappeared. _

_During their separation, something had happened to Annabeth's feelings. They'd grown painfully intense, like she'd been forced to withdraw from a life-saving medication. Now she wasn't sure which was more excruciating-living with that horrible absence, or Benny with him again._

_Annabeth didn't mean to, but she surged forward. Percy rush toward her at the same time. The crowd tensed. Some reached for swords that weren't there. _

_Percy threw his arms around her. They kissed, and for a moment nothing else mattered. An asteroid could have hit the planet and wiped out all life, and Annabeth wouldn't have cared._

_Percy smelled of ocean air. His lips were salty. _

_Seaweed Brain, she thought giddily._

_Percy pulled away and studied her face. "Gods, I never thought-" _

_Annabeth grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He slammed into the stone pavement. Romans cried out. Some surged forward, but Reyna shouted, "Hold! Stand down!"_

_Annabeth put her knee on Percy's chest. She pushed her forearm into his neck. She didn't care what the Romans thought. A white-hot lump of anger expanded in her chest- a tumor of worry and bitterness she'd been carrying around since last autumn._

_"If you ever leave me again," she said, her eyes stinging, "I swear to all the gods-"_

Percy laughed and pushed her off. He kissed her softly as he pulled her to her feet. "I consider myself warned," he said. "I missed you."

Annabeth couldn't let go of his hand. Gods, she loved him so much. Introductions were made, and everyone decided that Leo could land the ship on the far bank of the Little Tiber. As everyone settled in to eat dinner together, Annabeth pulled Percy aside for a moment.

She looked up at him. They were sheltered by the corner of a building. "Percy," she said softly, surprised by the amount of need in her voice. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Wise Girl."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and burst into tears, sobbing into his shoulder. Months of fear, worry, desperation, and pain melted away in messy, ugly sobs that shook her whole body. "Promise me you'll never leave again," she pleaded through her tears.

"I promise, baby. I'll always be here to piss you off. I swear I will never let Hera take me again.

"That little cow turd." Annabeth couldn't help but smile as she wiped her face. Percy had that affect on her. With a smile on her face and Percy by her side, Annabeth led him back to their newfound friends.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Sorry for any typos. I wrote this on my phone. Please review of you enjoyed this or have any tips or suggestions.**

The Romans had nowhere for us to sleep, and it was getting late. We pitched three tents on the hill; one for the boys, one for the girls, and one for Coach Hedge. The satyr called lights out at ten, after dinner. We had planned to leave that night, but Leo informed us that something was very wrong with the GPS. He said that he could fix it, but would need some time, so everyone settled in. As coach was herding everyone into tents, Percy's fingers brushed mine gently he slipped a piece of paper into my hand. I closed my fist around it, not looking at him. When Piper, Hazel, and I said goodnight, I pulled my sleeping bag over my head, clicked on my flashlight and opened up the note. It read;

**Wise girl –**

**Meet me behind the building where we met today. I will see you at midnight. Love you**

I smiled softly. My watch read ten-thirty. I leaned back into my pillow and stared at the roof of the tent. Even with the impending doom, everything was so serene. I smiled and side, ready to wait out the hour and a half until midnight.

At 11:30, I slipped out of my sleeping bag and changed into skinny jeans and pulled a gray sweatshirt over my camp shirt. Tucking my curls into a messy bun, I slipped outside quiet as a mouse. I pulled on my cap, grateful for its protection. I could see the building. It was grey stone, like all the others, but its roof was flat. I jogged down to the main central plaza and down towards the weird building. The wind ruffled my invisible curls around my invisible face.

Percy was waiting for me. I pulled off my, surprising him. We kissed softly.

He said, "I want to show you something." He led me around the building to wear a giant oak tree crew. He pulled himself up into its branches and gestured for me to follow. I did, and we climbed up higher and higher. Then he jumped down and landed like a cat on the roof. I did the same.

We sat in the middle of the roof for a moment, then he pulled me onto his lap. We stared at the stars. They were so different and the consolations we knew at home. I studied his face in the moonlight.

"What are we doing?" I whispered.

"I don't know."

"Who are you," I asked, trying not to cry. "I thought that coming here would bring us closer, but I just feel farther from you than ever."

"I'm sorry Annabeth. I really am. I'm sorry about what happened, but it's not my fault. I'm sorry"

"Stop apologizing."

"I'm sorry – I mean, Annabeth, I hardly even know who I am anymore. Hera is a bastard, and I'm sorry. No, no, I'm not sorry. Wise girl, this is just a bad situation."

"Percy, please, you're only making this worse! If you would just –"

He cut me off. "This is my fault, Annabeth. I'm sorry – _Di immortales!_

"Percy!" I sobbed. "Can you please just listen to me for once!"

"Annabeth –" he reached for me, but I pulled away.

"Look, Percy, I love you, but I can't do this anymore. This is too much. I thought that coming to you would be joyful, and that we could finally be happy. But you're not even listening to me!" I stood up.

"Annabeth!" He sprang to his feet. "Be logical! This is not –"

"Telling a daughter of Athena to be logical is a terrible idea Percy."

"Annabeth, stop being so proud! You have to give some thought to my feelings! I didn't ask to be stolen from you! If it were up to me, we would still be sitting having a picnic on Half-Blood Hill!"

"Maybe if you weren't always so cocky, you would give some thought to how much pain and suffering you put me through! It's like you don't even care about me anymore!" I was ready to draw my knife and stab him. I was trembling with anger.

"I do care about you! I care about you more than anything else in the world," he cried, his voice cracking.

"You you sure aren't acting like it!" I growled.

"I just had my memory wiped!" He whisper-yelled. "Get off your high horse and have a little sympathy!"

"My high horse?" I hissed, spitting in anger. "Cause I'm so high and mighty, standing here crying like a little girl over my boyfriend!"

"I'm sorry Annabeth. I really am." He sat down, defeated, and I burst into tears. I grabbed my cap and jumped to the ground, ignoring the pain that flared up my legs, and ran. I ran until I got to my tent, then I collapsed on top of my sleeping bag, and cried myself into an uneasy sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N The rest of the story will be in first person point of view, in case there was any confusion. I had to make the first chapter third person to fit with Uncle Rick's writing. Anyway, thank you to those who reviewed! Keep it up!**

In the morning, I was so angry and mentally exhausted that when Piper had to get me out of bed I smacked her across the face. With a small cry, she fled, leaving my laying facedown on my sleeping bag, unable to control the tears. I couldn't deal with this. Percy. The Romans. Gaea rising. Hera, that bitch. All of this. I just wanted to be home, at camp, sitting with Percy and talking. Before he left, it was easy to talk to him. He was my other half. It was simple, and easy, and beautiful.

But when he had been ripped away from me, my heart had been forced to heal without the other half. And now the pieces don't fit together anymore. I was incomplete, but the missing part is too far gone to ever get back. Or is it?

I realized them that there were voices outside, whispering about me.

"She hit me!" That must have been Piper.

"What is wrong with her?" Leo, I think.

"Hazel, go talk to her." Jason.

"I can't force her to talk. She's obviously really upset." Hazel sounded concerned.

"She'll get up when she's ready." Piper again, whose comment I was grateful for.

They seemed satisfied with that, because they left. And I lay there. Not moving. Not crying. Just wishing I was dead.


	4. Chapter 4

When Percy awoke the next morning, he felt incomplete. He felt like there was a piece of him that have been left on the roof last night. He pretended that everything was fine, but in reality he was broken. He had been broken apart by the argument, the screaming, the crying, the pressure, and just about everything else. He didn't know if he could continue. He felt lost.

He couldn't fathom that Annabeth wasn't feeling the same way, so when she refused to come out of her tent and hit Piper, Percy wasn't surprised.

He felt as though he was just going through the motions of the day, pretending that nothing had happened but inside he was in a million pieces. He just wanted to sleep and just let all the memories go. Pretend, for a second, that he could be normal. That he wasn't always the odd one out. That he didn't feel completely and utterly lost.

Reyna could see it in his face. Something it happened, and she was sure that it had to do with the fact that his girlfriend was not present. Reyna made it her personal mission to figure out what was wrong. She really cared about Percy. She knew, from the little demonstration last night that she could never win his heart, but that didn't mean she couldn't have his friendship. She knew that he had changed, even over the course of one night, just because his old friends had returned. But Reyna wasn't going to let him go that easily. She knew that he had the potential and the possibility to be an amazing Roman. It didn't matter whether he was the son of Poseidon or Neptune, he was a wonderful person. And Reyna knew that he was hurting.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N I realize that the POV on this story is out of whack, but I am going to try to be better about labeling the POV form now on. I also went back and fixed a few errors that I had made. Thanks for reading and please review!**

**Reyna POV**

Reyna figured that the way that she could help Percy was to convince him to forgive Annabeth. He needed her, this much Reyna knew. And Reyna wasn't going to let them be pushed apart. Reyna had spent her whole life making sacrifices for other people. She knew what it was like to stand back and feel the pain that you had to go through to see others happy. Percy was no exception. He would be happy if Reyna had any say in the matter.

She approached Percy during breakfast. That morning was a waffle bar, and Percy was standing pouring blueberry syrup over his waffle until the whole thing was a bright cerulean color. He seemed out of it. His eyes were glazed and his shoulders haunched. She quickly made herself a waffle with fresh fruit and then walked quickly to a table by himself.

"Hey," she said quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure."

They ate in silence for about a minute before Reyna looked put down her fork and looked at him. His gaze was on his food. Finally he realized she was staring at him.

"What."

It was more of a statement that a question, as though he was reading a script, not really playing the part.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Reyna prompted.

"No."

"You can't pretend like it didn't happen."

"Why do you care? You don't even know what happened," Percy sighed tiredly.

"You two aren't exactly quiet when you argue."

Percy's fave turned the color of the strawberries on Reyna's plate. He whispered, "You heard us?"

She smiled. "Yes. But i was in the library, the building you were on. And I wasn't asleep."

"You need rest, Reyna." Though there was pain in his eyes, there was concern, too.

"Stop changing the subject. This is about you."

"I know. I screwed up. And I bet Annabeth sent you here to tell me how horrible of a person I am." Percy wasn't meeting her eyes.

"Yes Percy, you did screw up. And so did Annabeth. But you know what? You need to suck it up, both of you. And as soon as I finish with you, I'm going to give this same talk to Annabeth, because you two have been though so much. You adore each other. You caught the lightening thief. You sailed the sea of monsters. You broke the Titan's curse. You fought the battle of the labyrinth. And you won the War of Olympus, for Jupiter's sake. You have always been there for each other, and you'd better not stop now, you hear?"

Percy stared at her. "I hear."


	6. PLEASE READ

**A/N I had inspiration for this story but its kinda gone. Does anyone have any ideas? I don't really know where to go from here. Its kinda depressing, to be perfectly honest. Review with your ideas or PM me, but i guess this is a formal hiatus warning.**


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